1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus for imaging organs within a living body and so on by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves to generate ultrasonic images to be used for diagnoses. Further, the present invention relates to an ultrasonic probe to be used in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.
2. Description of a Related Art
In medical fields, various imaging technologies have been developed for observation and diagnoses within an object to be inspected. Especially, ultrasonic imaging for acquiring interior information of the object by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves enables image observation in real time and provides no exposure to radiation unlike other medical image technologies such as X-ray photography or RI (radio isotope) scintillation camera. Accordingly, ultrasonic imaging is utilized as an imaging technology at a high level of safety in a wide range of departments including not only the fetal diagnosis in obstetrics but also gynecology, circulatory system, digestive system, and so on.
Conventionally, a mainstream ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus has been large-scaled and provided in an examination room for exclusive use. It has been necessary to move examinees to the examination room provided with the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus at each time of ultrasonic diagnosis, and significant burden has been imposed on the examinees. In order to reduce the burden on the examinees, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is required that is easily carried and used by an operator (diagnostician) who operates the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. When the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is carried and used, for example, the operator selectively uses one of a linear probe in which a large contact area with a surface of the object can be taken and a convex probe in which a wide imaging range can be taken instead of a large contact area with a surface of the object. Accordingly, it is necessary to carry plural ultrasonic probes at a time, and there is a problem of complicated transportation.
As a related technology, Japanese Patent Application Publication JP-P2000-201936A discloses an ultrasonic imaging probe capable of generating at least two ultrasonic imaging surfaces. Specifically, the ultrasonic imaging probe includes a leading end radiation convertor for generating a first imaging surface and a side radiation convertor for generating a second imaging surface, and the first imaging surface and the second imaging surface are orthogonal to each other.
However, the ultrasonic imaging probe disclosed in JP-P2000-201936A is for watching a tool such as a biopsy needle on the two ultrasonic imaging surfaces at the same time, but plural types of functions are not provided to one ultrasonic probe.